Echos of Yesterday
by The Celestial Dragon
Summary: Upon the Broken Isles, a young Draenei hunter and a skilled human rogue come together to enhance their skills in battle, but the sins of one are hard to deny as vengeance looms ever near. One must follow her heart to protect the man she loves, and the other must come to terms with the consequences of his actions as the echos of the past come to face them.
1. Prologue

**To my readers, I apologize for the lack of updates on the previous story that had been in the works, A Chosen Path. Due to unforeseen circumstances, that particular story has been scrapped and redone in my own fashion this time. Hopefully this time, the story will be better and will provide you with entertainment. I will be more consistent with updates as well, as I am enjoying writing this version FAR more than the previous one using the DFC system. I hope you enjoy the story, and do tell me what you think!**

 **On with the show!**

* * *

The night was deep, the space thick and cloying within confined walls. No light dared reach so far into the unhallowed space, leaving the atmosphere dark and devoid of any sign of life. Echoes of water droplets could be heard resonating against the smooth stone that encased the small room, yet the area within remained untouched by moisture; the altar that stood raised on a platform of steps stood silent as it had since being placed, but offered no respite from the overwhelming sense of malice that teased through the stale air.

Quite suddenly, the relative silence was broken by the sudden scream of a woman in pain. The sharp notes of agony resonated harshly through the empty halls, disturbing nothing and yet everything within. A sickly green glow appeared on the steps beside the stone altar on its pedestal, illuminating the sole two figures who had dared entered the once silent tomb. A masked figure stood looming over the one knelt below, his large hands wrapping firmly around the their neck. It was she whom was screaming, her choking cries only growing as the light burning into her throat flared more brightly.

The acrid scent of seared flesh soon filled the space around them, though neither of them seemed to notice. The woman in pain opened her eyes with great difficulty, staring up at the figure who gave her such agony - a tall human man cloaked in robes of black lined with silvery white, his upper face hidden by an eerie mask while the lower showed lips that belonged to one who had just hit his younger prime years. Despite the pain, she did not fight; if anything, she allowed herself to scream louder as if in defiance, to show that she would not be stopped by such an act.

After a few moments more of the torment, the man released his spell and took a firm step back. As a puppet cut from its strings, the woman fell to the stone steps below with a low groan. Her hands reached up to clutch her neck where a strange green mark now glowed ominously, tears rolling down smooth skin to drip to the cold surface below her. She welcomed the relief it offered her, the breath coming rapidly in and out from between parted lips as she sought to regain her state of mind. The man did nothing and said nothing, merely watching as she slowly pushed her hands below her body, righting herself with a tremendous effort. The metallic taste of her own blood filled her mouth, and she let out a racking cough that grated against her ears in the now restored quiet of the room. Another moment and she pressed on to rise to her feet, stubbornly refusing to allow her trembling legs to hinder her any further.

Her tormentor watched as the shorter woman stood before him, a slow and cruel smile turning his youthful lips upwards to create a haunting picture coupled with his mask. He nodded once to show his approval, a gloved hand raising as if to beckon her closer but instead flicking towards her neck as the light from the spell began to fade.

"Well done. You have endured that more readily than others before you."

The man's voice echoed in the enclosed space; the deep tones would have resonated in almost a hypnotic way, if it weren't for the cold chill that seemed to lace the undertones. Others who heard it would have likened it to the voices used by the undead denizens of the world, that strange double tone that marked one as not one of the living, but the man was very much alive.

The woman seemed to ignore the praise, instead spitting to the side to rid herself of her own lifeblood to ensure her ability to speak.

"I have done what you wanted of me. Now keep your word, and tell me what I wish to know!" she demanded, her voice hoarse and cracking from the tension she had placed on it by crying out in her pain.

She heard the masked man shuffle for a moment in the inky darkness, only to be blinded a moment later as a tiny mage light appeared in a raised hand. Her vision blurred as she fought to keep upright, and her head shook wildly as eyelids blinked to refocus. More details could be seen with the use of the ball of magic, and she could easily pick out the shaggy, yet well-kept hair that framed the black and white mask of the man before her. His clothes were well-kept and very well made, showing that he was not shy about using coin to procure tailored goods for his use.

A gloved hand appeared from the dark cloak that shrouded his body, palm facing towards her as the motion to be silent was used.

"Now is not the time," he said simply. "To face a blade as sharp and as well crafted as he you must first hone your skills, least you forsake all you have worked for."

The hollow eyes of the mask bored down at the woman, the soulless sockets peering as if into her very being.

"You are not ready to face him."

The woman snarled, her flat human teeth flashing in the dim illumination of the tiny magelight. Bright green eyes widened in defiance, and she took a menacing step forward towards her opponent as her long red hair seemed to come alive with her anger.

"I am more than prepared to face him! I have gone through everything you have requested of me, obeyed like a dog to its master, and yet you still seek to deny me? I am not a puppet to be used; you swore you would help me attain my revenge for what he has done to me!"

Another cold smile appeared below the mask, this one showing almost a hint of pride. Infuriated by his demeanor, the woman reached to her side where a blade lay sheathed, removing it from its resting place and charging forward with a furious cry as she swung directly for his exposed neck.

In an instant, she felt that they were no longer alone. Two large men appeared as if from the shadows themselves, their shrouded bulk blocking her way as she found twin sets of spears pointed directly to her neck. Her blade rested just touching her antagonist, his skin barely moved as he watched the proceedings with an air of amusement. His smile turned stoic, and he pressed forward against her blade as if it were not there.

At the action, the two newcomers eased themselves from their places. The spears they held disappeared back beneath the dark brown cloaks they wore, the clink of metal could be heard distinctly rustling beneath the fabric. The woman started in shock as she realized that though they had moved, her body was refusing to follow her commands; her mind screamed at herself to move, to take action now that the way was clear, yet she remained frozen as if she were a statue. She became aware of a burning sensation upon her throat, and saw the now familiar green glow of her new mark illuminating the man's lower face; fear threatened to engulf her as she realized that she was being _controlled_ , much like the puppet she had mentioned before.

A thoughtful hum rumbled from the man's throat, and he pressed into her sharpened sword a little more. Against her will, her arms moved to slice more deeply into his skin, and she gasped as his flesh seemed to part. All at once her body was released from the invisible strings holding it back, and she was unable to stop herself from finishing her delayed attack. Her body whirled about as she fought to regain her balance, green eyes wide in shock and fear as she tried to process what had just happened. Her back was turned to where the man had stood, and she dared not turn to see the consequences her actions had wrought.

A moment passed in silence before a voice resonated around her, causing the on-edge human to jump at the sound.

"Such unruly behavior for a lady. No matter...you will learn to obey in the end."

The sound of wood falling to the stone floor behind her echoed in the still air, and she felt full control returned to her traitorous limbs as her slim body relaxed. Without hesitation she turned on her heel to look behind her, seeing no one there; confusion flit across her expression as her gaze darted about, looking for the body she had sure would have been there.

Instead of a grisly scene, the sharp eyes of the woman came upon a neatly folded pile of clothes, on which lay a mask identical to those worn by the two men who remained in the chamber with her. Her brows furrowed in question, turning her head to try and pinpoint where the voice had come from. Her answer came, but her benefactor remained hidden from her view.

"Take them, and keep your new 'companions' close by. The time will come, and I will summon you when everything is ready."

The man's deep tone reverberated against the stones, fading out into the darkness as if he had never been. Lips thinned as the woman knelt to inspect her gift, her fingers lightly running over the surface of the ominous mask. She lifted it with a gentle grip, only to tighten it as her eyes flashed with the determination to see her vengeance wrought.


	2. Chapter 1

The sun was high above, hanging in the cloudless sky and shining down upon the small border territory between the lush forests of Val'sharah and the sparse slopes of Highmountain. The calls of birds echoed off the nearby stones, and the sounds of many small life forms could be heard as the skittering and rustling added to the peaceful atmosphere. A larger animal or herd could occasionally be seen passing through, many of them migrating out of the forests to the west and towards the tall stone cliffs that lay on the border to escape the deeply-rooted corruption that permeated the once green lands. Stones turned below hooves and paws, leaving the tell tale signs of passage through the narrow margin between forest and mountain.

The migration had not gone unnoticed; the cliffs and hills beyond were thick with the tall, twin headed giants known as ettin. They were well aware of the influx of fresh meat, and more than one stalked the paths to surprise a herd of deer or pack of wolves that had wandered too close. It was the chaos of those attacks and the scattering of one such herd that had provided a prime opportunity, one that Animus intended to use to his advantage.

A gloved hand gently inspected a recently broken twig lying upon the ground, the supple leather aiding in the digits they covered to pick up the piece of plant. The hand raised before a face, the lower half covered by a crimson and black cloth that blocked much of the man's identity. His piercing blue eyes remained unhindered, and his long ebony ponytail flowed gently in the soft breeze that swept through the tall grasses that surrounded him. He inspected the broken piece before glancing down to the soft indent of a hoof-print, noting that not too far up a similar mark had been made in the smooth stones. Accompanying the mark was a small slip of blood upon the blades above it, the bright red liquid acting like a beacon to give away the direction his prey had traveled. The twig was placed ever so gently back in its place without a sound, and like a panther on the prowl he delicately made his way forward through the ever-towering grasses.

The tracks led him not too much farther, the signs becoming fresher with every step. He risked a peek above the swaying blades of yellow, noting that he was heading into a deep gully flanked by two rather steep cliffs. A smirk formed below his mask as he crept forward; there would be no escape once he had caught up with the injured doe he had been tracking for over an hour now. He could hear it faintly, perhaps a hundred or so yards in front of him; the animal's slightly labored breathing, and the sound its hooves made on the tough terrain. His hands twitched towards the swords that lay strapped to his back, but he stilled them and steadied his breathing, concentrating on placing one step in front of the other as quietly as possible. He would have to be close to ensure a good shot at his prey, his daggers ready to work their deadly magic and incapacitate the doe for him to dispatch. Ducking his head so that he would not be detected, he slipped into the shadows he knew so well and slid his way towards the deer.

As he crept in closer for the kill, his hearing picked up the low, constant thrumming of water farther down the gully. His luck was with him today; should the doe try to flee, there would be nowhere to go with cliffs by his side and a waterfall before him. The blood trail was fresher now, more marks clearly left on the yellow grass as he followed them without a sound. He drew a small dagger from his belt and peered through the blades, trying to catch a glimpse of the animal.

Dark brows pulled together as he realized that the doe was just ahead of him, but was not standing as he had expected. The creature lay on its side upon the ground, its body unnervingly still as the wind continued to dance through the grass. Suspicious, the man approached with caution till he was by the deer's side, surprised to see that it was in fact dead. A large cut along the side that had been the source of the blood trail was the most probable cause of death; ettin were not known to be that efficient in their kills, after all. But the human's eyes then came upon a long, thin shaft protruding from the doe's eye socket, the fletching of feathers at the end ruffling in the breeze. That had most certainly not been there when he had noticed the doe escaping into the mountain, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion as well as frustration.

Stepping back into the tall yellow grass the rogue slipped back into the shadows once more and stilled himself, the area around him calmly reverting back into place as though he had never been; he had been tracking the doe for near two hours now, and he would not allow a lucky bystander to rob him up his intended dinner. He focused his breathing and waited, careful to not move a muscle and watching for the one who had denied him his prey.

It seemed he did not have to wait long; the sound of footsteps became audible barely a minute later, and the rustle of the dry grass as it was pushed aside heralded their arrival. A small figure appeared, about half a head shorter than he was. The form was feminine, tightly fitted armor covering all of her while glinting gold and dark green that would blend in with the surrounding area. A hood shrouded her face completely, but he did not miss the way the top seemed to dip to indicate a set of horns hidden below and dark blue tendrils that slipped out from the inside, nor the cloven hooves that delicately picked their way to the carcass. A well-made bow was held in the strange woman's hands, indicating that it was she who had shot the arrow that had taken the life of the doe. Gloves covered small hands as she made to holster the bow next to the quiver of arrows upon her back; the man waited still as a stone till the hunter knelt to inspect her kill, and then he struck with the speed of a snake.

Darting up behind the woman, Animus gripped her upper arms and jerked her harshly away from the fallen doe. A loud squeal of shock echoed off the sides of the gully as he unceremoniously slammed her to the hard earth below; he wasted no time as he quickly straddled the dazed woman below him, the dagger he had intended to use on the deer now pressing threateningly against a slim blue neck. The woman stilled at the feeling of cold metal, but he could see the way she gaped up at him through the space her hood did not cover. He was not deterred, and spoke coldly to her prone figure.

"Well now. You just had to go and make things complicated, didn't you?"

The woman let out a tiny gasp, but he paid it no mind as his free hand came up and gripped the edge of the hood that kept her identity from him. He was not gentle as he jerked it from its place upon her head, tossing it somewhere into the grass around them before he peered into the startled glowing blue eyes of his captive. It took him only a moment before he too froze, his own orbs widening as Animus recognized the gently curving horns and delicate features of the draenei woman's face as she stared up at him in a mixture of confusion and lingering anger. His grip on her lessened, and he could not keep the surprise out of his voice as he spoke.

"...Areai?"

* * *

The large floating city of Dalaran was uncommonly peaceful for an afternoon, only a few adventurers making their way through the streets between shops while the normal citizens went about their business. Those who ran their shops found themselves rather idle with their time, while those who actually crossed their threshold found themselves rather bombarded by those eager to make their daily coin.

If there was one exception to the rule, it was the innkeepers. Normally swamped with work, they seemed to appreciate the brief lull before the later rush that was sure to come later when night began to settle on the land. It offered a chance to prepare, but to Animus it offered a relatively private conversation with his comrade as they sat within the Greyfang Enclave tavern, A Hero's Rest. He sat cross legged in a comfortable seat in the tavern eating space, a cup of warm tea before him as he peered at the draenei woman across him in mild curiosity as she fidgeted under his gaze.

"Ah...it's a pity that we couldn't eat the doe," she said quietly, clearly trying to hide the nervous tremor in her tone.

"The corruption was too deeply embedded in the flesh to safely eat," he said simply, lifting his cup to sip at the steamy tea. It went down smoothly, and he took a moment to appreciate the taste.

Areai nodded, a hint of sorrow edging her expression. She had expressed the same emotion as they had butchered the deer before they had come to Dalaran, though to him it was not of much concern. It was a pity to waste an entire animal, but the Nightmare had infected it too thoroughly.

"We get a chance to eat and talk to each other, on the upside," she said, her tone perking along with her posture. "How have you fared these past few weeks?"

"Well enough, I suppose," Animus said simply.

"What have you been up to?" she inquired, leaning forward ever so as curiosity lit her already glowing eyes further.

The man raised his brow at her inquisitiveness, tilting his head as he considered her.

"Not much. Taking jobs to stay busy, contracts and the like."

The draenei's head copied his tilt.

"Contracts? Such as?"

""Many men are willing to take advantage of the chaos the Legion brings. Nothing you are in need of knowing," he said with a firm tone, unwilling to discuss his more unsavory contacts.

The short hunter wilted ever so slightly at his tone, but perked back up not a few moments later. It amused the rogue to see her shift so quickly, and he felt himself relax a bit more as he took his turn.

"What of you, Areai? Are you still with the group?"

Shoulders stiffened, and a heavy sigh was followed by a swift shake of her head. Surprise had him lift his brows as he let his expression show a hint of what he felt. The young woman before him as well as himself had belonged to a rather interesting group of people not too long ago, but when things had taken a rather sharp turn for the worst on account of their leader, Animus had opted out in order to avoid the chaos he had known would be coming. To hear that she too had left them was interesting and he peered at her questioningly; she shifted in her seat once again, glancing away and sighing deeply once more.

"To put it plainly...it no longer felt like home," was all she said.

The man nodded in understanding, once again sipping his tea as he turned this bit of information over in his mind. His companion sipped her own beverage, the scent of honey and mint wafting over as she copied his movement. A moment of quiet passed between them, the outside noise of the city drifting in over the sounds of those inside going about their business mingling to create a soothing atmosphere. The time passed slowly, lazily, and it was almost a shame when the huntress spoke once more.

"Regardless...it is still good to be in your company again," a playful smile ran across her face as she said with a slightly teasing tone.

Animus found his lips twitching upwards ever so before he resumed his calm expression, covering the movement with another long sip of tea.

"Admittedly, that was not the way I thought I would come upon you. I must point out, however," he paused for a moment taking in his beverage once more, before placing it on the table. His hand rose to his lips and he traces the outline of his mouth with his thumb carefully before speaking.

"Your skills seemed to have waned greatly since we were in a similar situation," his tone was empty and his eyes seemed to fixate on something far away.

Areai's lower lip poked out as her cheeks seemed to inflate, giving her a look akin to that of a puffer fish. She held it for a few moments before deflating visibly, her cheeks turning a slightly darker shade of blue as she dipped her head.

"I...I have not been training as hard as I used to," she confessed quietly. "Since I left, the need has mostly dissipated. I devote my attention to other things."

Animus concentration returned to their conversation curious as to what she meant, but the two were interrupted as a willowy elf came up to their table. She smiled at them politely, her blue eyes glancing over their posture before bowing her head and speaking.

"Pardon the interruption. Are things to your liking as of yet?"

The rogue nodded once to answer her question, the draenei mimicking the movement with a bright but wary smile to the elven woman. He surmised that she might be the one who kept the inn, and his suspicion was proven correct as she turned to speak with his companion.

"Miss Areai, I am loathe to interrupt, but I must speak with you about your accommodations here?"

The hunter visibly winced, her smile growing a tad more edgy as she glanced towards him as her cheeks darkened even further. She cleared her throat, breathing deeply as she answered.

"Ah, yes...I had been meaning to notify you of that. I have been trying to sell some of my craft lately, and I was intending to try the local shops here on the morrow to see if they would be interested."

The innkeeper tilted her head, eyeing the sitting woman with a rather stern expression that look almost like a mother about to scold her child. But before she could continue the conversation, a sudden loud ruckus towards the entryway of the tavern caused all three to turn and see what had caused it. To their surprise, a group of Horde had shoved their way into the tavern despite the guarding worgen out front, talking loudly in their guttural language as they looked about the place with a violent air about them.

"What? How dare they," the elven innkeep said with a nasty scowl, turning on her heel to face the newcomers.

"You there! You are not allowed in this section of the city! Be gone and there will be no trouble!"

Much to Animus' displeasure, the group of five Horde seemed to only be amused at the elf's threat. A tall blue-skinned troll loped forward to stand before the woman, practically bending in half so he could look at her proper.

"Ah, ya be da proprietor of dis inn, mon?" he asked, his thick accent nearly making his Common indistinguishable.

To her credit, the innkeep did not seem put off and merely placed her hands on her hips and glared at the troll viciously.

"I am, and as such I am demanding that you leave at once," she said in an icy tone.

Areai shifted uncomfortably in her seat, and Animus found his muscles tensing as he glanced over the ragtag group of invaders. The remaining Horde seemed to be comprised of one Forsaken in a tattered robe, two orcs that both had wicked looking swords strapped to their sides, and a green eyed blood elf who looked like he would rather be anywhere else than where he was. Besides the orcs, the band didn't seem to be out for blood, but the rogue felt his hand drifting towards his belt where he kept his smoke bombs unconsciously before he forced it to return to where it was on his cup.

The troll, apparently the leader, laughed in the elf's face as he shook his head. His wildly colored hair and braids flailed about, nearly knocking the innkeeper in the face and causing her to flinch ever so slightly despite her brave show.

"Pity, we cannot do as ya say. Ya see, we be seeing a snake slither his way in here after roughing up one of our own. He be needing a lesson in honor, and we be gonna give it ta 'im whether ya like it or not."

"I swear by the Light, if you do not cease this barbaric-"

Apparently having enough of the haughty tone she was using, the invading troll lifted his hand and delivered a strong backhand across the shorter woman's face. Her small body flew backwards onto the two adventurer's table, Animus remained seated a slightly bothered look creeping across his normally calm face as Areai jumped in alarm. The troll's orc and undead companions laughed loudly while the male blood elf looked disgusted.

"That was uncalled for!"

To his shock, Animus turned to see the tiny draenei hunter bolt to her feet in anger, and she quickly darted to the other woman's side to see if she was injured. From a glance, it appeared as if she had been rendered unconscious by the force of the troll's slap but was otherwise uninjured. Seemingly satisfied, Areai turned a fierce glare on the towering troll as he peered down at her from his enormous height.

"Oh? Ya be wantin' ta make someting out of it, little one?" he taunted, his deep red eyes practically giving away his delight at the thought of a fight as he rattled his tusks.

The woman looked up at him furiously and opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by Animus rising abruptly to his feet. Both looked at the human in surprise as he simply rolled his shoulders, seemingly unconcerned in the entire situation around him.

"Oi, ya be wantin' ta be da hero mon?" the imposing troll asked, gnashing his teeth together in a threatening motion.

"Hmph. It's become much too crowded in here. I am taking my leave," the dark haired man stated simply, giving the troll a uninterested look as if he were merely a nuisance.

The words seem to infuriate the troll, and he drew himself up higher as if to intimidate with his height alone. The other members of the Horde band smirked and began to move about, clearly thinking their 'leader' had it under control and became more concerned with hunting down the person they had originally come for.

"Ya not be going anywhere, mon," the troll said in a low, ominous tone.

"I believe I am," was the response, his voice never going beyond anything other a calm tone.

Areai watched from her place beside the innkeeper, only glancing down when she heard a low groan of pain coming from the elf. She knelt down and helped the other woman sit up, muttering to her softly to take it easy as consciousness came back. It drew the troll's attention for a moment, and he made a threatening step in the two women's direction before he was stopped by a tight grip upon his arm. He turned to see the shorter human male holding onto him tightly, and a fierce rage kindled in his eyes at the realization.

With a shockingly loud bellow, the barbaric man whipped around and grabbed hold of the other's collar tightly. He lifted the human clear above his head before slamming him into the closest wall, ignoring his companions and the two women's cries as he began to take his anger out on the rogue. Pain laced into Animus as he was viciously punched on the stomach, side and face, but he stubbornly kept his grip on the troll's arm. He saw the innkeeper regain herself enough to run out of the tavern towards the streets, her shouts for the guards nearly blocked out by the troll; he also saw Areai leap to her hooves and start towards them, only to stop and freeze as she stared at the scene with a horror-struck expression.

The troll seemed to tire after a moment, his shouts turning into furious growls as he shook his tusks in a frustrated manner. A smirk appeared on the human's lips, and he purposefully tightened his grip as he looked at his assailant with an air of disdain.

"Is that really all you've got?"

Fury reignited in the Horde member's gaze, and with a loud curse in his own language he slammed Animus back into the wall again in an attempt to get him to release his grip. The shorter male felt his head smack against the sturdy stone behind him painfully, and he was briefly overcome with a dizzy sensation before he refocused himself. It hurt, being used as a punching bag, but a glance at his still frozen companion reaffirmed his resolve to keep the troll's attention on himself only.

To his relief, he was only forced to take a few more moments of punishment before the troll was violently removed from his person. His body slumped to the ground against the wall, and through blurred vision he saw the bright purple robes of the battle mages that patrolled the city of Dalaran and kept the peace.

"Enough!" the mage shouted, the staff he carried sparking with power as he and two others effortlessly lifted the encroaching Horde into the air to dangle helplessly.

"You all know the rules. You are not allowed in this place; if you are found here again, you will be imprisoned for the remaining duration of the week!"

A smirk lifted the corners of his lips as Animus watched the party disappear in a bright blue flash of light, but his head was pounding so hard he found it difficult to concentrate. He heard movement beside him, and was barely able to keep his eyes open enough to see as well as feel soft blue hands gently touching his person. He vaguely realized that Areai must be by his side, but the dizziness hit him with a vengeance, and he could not resist the blackness that swam up to take him from consciousness.


	3. Chapter 2

"Thank you again, sir. I will keep an eye on him."

A pair of eyes glanced over the petite draenei woman standing in her doorway, then gradually slid past her to the half-hidden room beyond as an expression of concern twisted the man's features.

"It is no trouble. However, I'll make sure to send a healer up soon so they can check for any severe injuries," he said.

"I would much appreciate it," Areai said quickly, her hands tightly gripping the doorknob and making as if to close the barrier between the hallway and her quarters.

The man who had helped her carry Animus to her room nodded slowly, not protesting as he turned but still clearly worried. The woman quickly and quietly closed the door, hearing the small clicking sound as it finished; a moment passed and she placed her head against the smooth wood for stability, her hands bracing themselves close by as she fought to take a deep breath.

How could things have gone so wrong? Teeth bit down hard into a soft lip, and glowing blue eyes closed as her mind whirled with everything that had just happened. She felt herself tense as the memories assaulted her; the way the troll had viciously taken his rage out on her companion, and how she had leapt to her hooves only to find herself freezing as fear iced in her veins. She had allowed Animus to become so injured because she had hesitated, and the bitter taste of disappointment in herself stayed firmly on her tongue.

A growl of frustration was heard, and one of the draenei's hands pulled back to smack itself against the firm wood door. The resonating whack that followed had her pause, remembering that if she were too loud she might awaken the man on her bed. She breathed in slowly, then exhaled in an effort to calm herself; what was she doing?

"Light, grant me the ability to get through this," she mumbled softly.

Eventually, the calm of the quiet and the coolness of the wood against her forehead helped her regain a little of her stability; she was nowhere near ready to turn around, to face the man lying unconscious, but she knew she would eventually have to. Her eyes reopened and she lifted her head from the door, her hands going up to straighten herself in an effort to give herself a modem of comfort before she slowly turned around and looking in the direction of her bed.

Her chest tightened as she walked forward through her small living quarters, finally taking in the extent of his many injuries. As she skirted around her small table and chair, she noticed the swelling and dark marks that had begun to appear on his face and neck; small cuts could be seen as well where the troll had been particularly brutal, splitting the skin to cause as much pain as possible. A fresh surge of guilt welled within her as she halted by the bedside, her earlier thoughts returning as quickly as they had left. Why had she frozen like that? She had been in countless battles, faced much larger enemies and met them head on, and yet when a friend needed aid, she had found herself helpless to even move.

A small hand reached out to the prone figure on her bed, seeking the larger one that lay on the covers to perhaps offer some measure of comfort. But she paused before her skin met his, instead hovering just out of reach as she pondered if it was the right thing to do. Yes, she wanted to give him reassurance, even as he remained unconscious, but she quickly recalled how he shied away from contact with others unless necessary. Would he accept her, even as he slept? A little voice snapped that he probably wouldn't, and that she had best leave him alone; it was her fault he was like this, after all.

A moment passed before Areai finally pulled away, instead cupping the hand against her chest as she cast her eyes about and wondered what to do. Gnawing on her bottom lip, she noted belatedly that her room was in need of a slight pick up; deciding that it would be better for her to work on something productive than sit and worry endlessly, she slipped away from the bedside to instead tidy up her small space.

As she moved about, she realized her room was much more cluttered than she had thought; the huntress had been so focused lately on trying to make end's meet that her armor now lay in disarray upon the chest near the foot of the bed that should have been used to hold it, while a few of her bows cluttered a corner to the far left close to the desk that the inn provided for use. The desk itself was covered with gems and tools, as she had been focused on making jewelry and such to sell for coin; close by, the table and single chair that was the last bits of furniture had a few dirty dishes that had been forgotten, and it seemed most of everything had a fine layer of dust from her work on the gems and cutting them.

Realizing that she might not have much longer before the healer would arrive, Areai picked up the pace and quickly began to try to shove things in their correct spot, having faced enough embarrassment for one day.

* * *

 _Soft, white light. Like a fog, so thick you could not see, yet thin enough that you could still breathe. These was nothing else; no sights, no smells. Not much reached him where he was, but he could hear the sounds._

 _Off to the left, there were children laughing and screaming as they played some sort of game. A cart's wheels creaked as it passed by, the driver muttering under his breath to the horse that pulled it along; farther away, there were the sounds of people moving about, of vendors shouting their wares to those who had the coin and those who did not. Under it all, the sweet sound of cicadas echoed in what he thought to have been a forest._

 _It all sounded so familiar, yet the memory of it was distant like a dream._

 _Then, he heard movement close by. Soft footsteps followed by a giggle, and a hand gently lay upon his shoulder as a feminine voice spoke beside him with a teasing tone._

" _Animus, just how long are you going to sleep?"_

* * *

Eyes snapped open as consciousness flooded back all at once. Animus bolted upright as he felt the sense of panic and disorientation try to smother him; his chest felt tight and his breath came in and out quickly, hands gripping the fabric below him tightly as he looked about to try and see where he was.

An alarmed squeal gained his attention, and he looked to see a very startled Areai looking at him with wide eyes and a hand on her chest as she too looked surprised. The sight of her sitting in a chair next to the bed he lay upon eased his sense of alarm enough for him to gain a grip on it, and he calmed his breathing bit by bit as he again looked around to see himself in a small, rather comfortable room. His body remained tense, however, the tightness in his chest not releasing just yet.

"...Where am I?" he asked.

The draenei seemed to have recovered from her scare, and one hand reached up to rub at her eyes as she sat back down in her chair. The rogue realized she must have been dozing in her seat while keeping an eye on him.

"You are in my room, in the Greyfang Enclave," she said softly. "A man helped me carry you here after you lost consciousness."

The man nodded, his long hair flowing with the motion as he forced his muscles to slowly relax. He sensed no danger, and his body released the tension within bit by bit as he made to adjust himself more comfortably on the blankets as Areai spoke.

" A healer also came in and looked at you as you slept. They said you would be fine after they healed your wounds, but you would still need rest afterwards."

A frown tugged at his lips, and Animus cocked his head as he looked to the woman next to him.

"I should probably go then. I do not wish to be a burden," he stated, shifting himself in preparation to rise from the bed.

"No, don't get up yet," Areai said as she quickly moved closer in her chair and motioned for him to stay still. "You are not any burden to me."

He gave her a look that spoke of his doubts before shifting once again, only to be blocked by the woman once more. She shot him a desperate, almost pleading expression, and her words came out much more softly when she spoke.

"If nothing else, please stay for my sake?"

Animus paused, taking in his companion's tone and face while he carefully weighed his options. He did not want to bring more trouble to the young woman than had already happened, but he felt a part of himself wanting to give in to her request. He averted his gaze to the closest wall and sighed deeply, more to himself than anything.

"As you wish."

The swiftness of the change that overcame the huntress was quite amazing; within a second, she went from giving him a begging look to a shy, kind smile as her eyes glowed in happiness. Pleased that he had relented, she scooted back away from the edge of the bed before standing up and motioning towards the door.

"In that case, I will go fetch some food and some spare sheets; it has been quite some time that has passed, and I'm sure that you are hungry," she said, a noticeable bounce to her step as she moved towards the door.

She paused before she placed a hand on the knob, seeming to think of something before she turned back and pointed at him with a finger.

"Stay."

A black brow raised as she left the room, and Animus wondered what had prompted that. Shrugging to himself, the man adjusted himself so that he was sitting with his back to the headboard of the bed; his blue eyes glanced about the room, taking note of his current accommodations. He was minorly surprised to see that it was a bit cluttered - bows were stacked against each other hurriedly in a far corner of the room, a pile of armor in the shadows of the nearby desk in a clear effort to hide it. On the desk itself was many pieces and chips of different colored gems, with tools gathered together in a pile while a small magelight sat on the edge to offer illumination. He fought back the twitch of his lips and instead focused on himself, not wishing to appear a nosy guest.

Raising his arms, the rogue flexed his muscles gently to test for any kind of injury or soreness; the healer had done their job well, and as he further inspected himself he could detect no traces of extensive wounds other than a sense of fatigue. Pleased and assured he would be fine by morning, his leaned back as he awaited Areai's return and let him mind wander for a moment.

Almost unbidden, he recalled the strange dream he had before awakening; the soft light around him, the sounds of a village and children in summer. What stood out to him most, however, was the female voice that had been the last thing he had heard. He felt a weight appear in his chest as he recognized it, and a hand drifted up to a length of leather that tied around his neck. Tugging gently, he removed a small pouch from its hiding place under his armor and looked down at it thoughtfully; his thumb caressed the soft cloth, feeling the contents within shift to accommodate the action.

 _Why does your voice still haunt me..._ _Though so many years have passed, I can still recall like it has been only days._

* * *

Areai hurried down the carpeted halls of the inn, feeling both happy and nervous. She was surprised that Animus had relented to her request to stay the night, but was beyond elated at the same time. However, she was nervous because she had never exactly spent the night in the same room with any man; she only prayed that it would not become insufferably awkward to either of them.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she neared the tavern section of the inn, so lost in her own mind she nearly ran over the high elven woman proprietor. A squeak left her as she jumped back to avoid a collision, and both women looked at each other with startled expressions before relaxing and offering tentative smiles to the other.

"Ah, Miss Areai. I was hoping to run into you again before it became late," the elf said primly.

Areai cringed inwardly, her former embarrassment creeping forward as she recalled the conversation before the Horde party had interrupted. Her body tensed as she braced herself for what was to come, but shifted to surprise as the innkeep spoke again.

"I never got the chance to thank you and that young man for helping with the...earlier situation. I was also curious to know how he has been?" she queried, her long ears twitching ever so slightly as she looked at the huntress.

Relief almost had her sagging, but Areai managed to resist the urge as she offered a more genuine smile.

"He is doing well. A healer tended to him and he has just woken up. He will be staying with me tonight, actually; I was going to fetch dinner and a spare blanket for him."

Upon hearing this, the woman narrowed her sharp blue eyes at the shorter woman. She seemed to deliberate for a moment before pursing her lips.

"Well, as you know the meals here are not free...however, after what you did today, I am inclined to let it slide this once. But I must discuss the topic of your rent with you at once; it has been two weeks since you have been able to pay, Miss Areai."

The draenei winced at the turn of the subject, but nodded to the innkeep respectfully.

"I apologize for the delay in pay. I do have good news, and have hopes to sell my goods on the morrow to get the coin. If I may ask, might I have just the one more day, so that I have the time to sell and return with the amount you need?" she asked, fighting to keep herself from begging like a child to their mother.

The elf clicked her tongue, once again eyeing her tenant with a strict expression. Areai felt her hopes dying inside of her, and prayed fervently that she would at least be allowed some respite from her bad fortune.

"...One more day, Miss Areai. I implore you to remember that while I _am_ thankful to you and your companion, I still have a business to run; we are not a charity. Now go claim your meal and sheets; I will send word to the cook of the exception for tonight."

This time the huntress did sag her body as she gave the woman a grateful look. She bowed politely to her as way of thanks, the turned and quickly scurried down the corridor towards the laundry room where the inn's bed supplies were kept. The elven woman watched as she went and clicked her tongue once more, shaking her head as she turned to head for the tavern.

* * *

Animus was still deeply in thought with his pouch in hand when he heard the click of the lock being turned. He quickly gripped it and shoved it back beneath his shirt and out of sight as the door flew open with surprising force, and glanced over to see the rather interesting sight of his draenei companion doing a precarious balancing act with two platters of food held by each hand and a large fluffy blanket draped all over herself. She stumbled under her load, managing to make it inside of the room before turning to kick at the door, attempting to shut it with her hoof.

She succeeded after a moment, the loud bang of the wood hitting home punctuated by her triumphant grunt as she twisted about and began to head towards the small table. Noticing the small fruits that were beginning to fall as well as the bowl of hot soup that threatened to tip over at any second, the man began to raise himself up to help the clumsy woman.

"No, you stay there," Areai said quickly, noticing his movement. "I have this!"

"Are you quite sure?" he queried, eyes flicked over her as he noticed her center of gravity rapidly shifting as she tried to move about with the blanket binding her.

"Y-yes, just give me a moment!" she said, right before squeaking as another fruit escaped the platter.

Doubtful but realizing she would be stubborn in arguing, the rogue eased himself back and watched as the huntress managed to stumble her way to the table and eyed it carefully. Muttering to herself quietly, she began to twist about as the blanket constricted her movement like a snake around its prey. She moved with care, shifting first one platter down as she wriggled about in her personal trap to ensure that it would gently slide onto the flat surface.

"Good, now this one," she said while turning.

Surprisingly, she also managed to slip about inside the bindings enough to set the second platter down without spilling anything else. Once her hands were free, Areai quickly released herself from the large blanket and tossed it onto the chest at the foot of the bed, her expression very pleased as she turned once more to Animus.

"See? All under control."

Unable to help himself, Animus let out a quiet snort and shook his head. She elected to ignore it, instead still smiling as she turned and fetched the few pieces of fruit that had rolled away during her struggle. Setting them beside the rest, she grabbed the bowl of soup she had somehow managed not to spill and offered it to him.

"Here. The innkeeper sends you her thanks, by the way."

Nodding, the man accepted the soup and accompanying spoon as the draenei sat herself back down in the chair beside the bed, grabbing a pear and biting into it with a hungry murmur. He watched her for a moment before scooping up his first spoonful, blowing on it gently to make sure it was not too hot.

As both of them settled into their meal, a rather awkward silence fell over the two. He could see out of the corner of his eye as Areai nibbled on various fruits as she too watched him, seeming to hesitate in speaking to him again. He would not be the one to speak, however, and contented himself with his hot soup.

"...How are you feeling now?" she finally asked, apparently having found something to actually say.

"Better," he stated simply, taking another spoonful into his mouth and swallowing the broth. "I do want to thank you for helping me, Areai."

A deeper blue tint appeared on the woman's cheeks, and she quickly glanced away as she attempted a casual shrug.

"I-it's no trouble at all, really. I want to help you," she said earnestly, opting to take another bite of her meal of fruit. Again he saw her hesitate, and patiently waited as he dipped his spoon for another go.

"I do have a question…" she stated slowly.

Blue eyes flicked to her position in the chair, silently telling her to go ahead. She understood, and took a breath before continuing.

"Why didn't you fight back? You let the troll do that damage to you. I've seen you in battle before; you could have easily handled the situation. So...why?"

Animus pressed his lips together as he paused in his meal, looking down to the mostly empty bowl in quiet contemplation. Areai noted his hesitation and rushed to speak, her words coming out quickly.

"Ah, it is fine if you do not wish to talk about it! There's...there isn't much I can say in turn anyway, after I froze on you like that…" she stated, her expression quickly turning despondent. Not knowing what to say to that, the human stayed silent and merely watched her from the corner of his eye.

A moment passed and Areai physically shook herself, snapping out of whatever thoughts she had and instead motioning to the blanket heaped noticeably on the room's chest.

"I did manage to get a spare blanket, though. I thought it would be a good idea; you should have the bed for the night, since you were the one injured."

"The blanket will suffice; I do not want to displace you," he said, placing his spoon into the now empty soup bowl and moving to stand.

He did so before she could protest any farther, though she did sputter out some sort of rebuttal that he didn't pay attention to. Placing the bowl down on the table nearby, he turned and walked to the wall to pick out a suitable spot; it would be fine, he had slept in much worse conditions before. His hands drifted up to the ties on his armor before he remembered he was not alone and turned to face the draenei huntress, noticing that she too had finished her meal and was watching him keenly.

"If you do not mind, I would prefer to remove my armor," he said simply. "That way I can better relax."

Areai's eyes suddenly widened greatly, and another blue stain appeared on her face as she gave a soft squeak. Her legs moved quickly to lift her out of her chair, and she gathered the dishes left with surprising speed.

"That is fine. I will, um, take the dishes to the kitchen!" she said, her tone high pitched and rushed.

Before he could ask what the issue was, the woman had spun on her hoof with the plate ware and flew out of the room with haste. Confusion filled him as he watched the closed door for a minute, wondering what had gotten into her before shrugging and reaching up to untie his tight leather armor.

* * *

It was a bit later that Areai finally got up the courage to poke her head back into her room, hoping that Animus was finished undressing into whatever he considered comfortable enough to relax in. Relief filled her as she noticed him leaning against the wall he had chosen earlier, and stepped quickly inside to shut the door as carefully as she could in order to not disturb him.

Shuffling forward, she noticed that he had grabbed the blanket she had procured and wrapped it around himself; his eyes were closed, and his breathing was the calm and even one of a sleeper. A huff passed her lips as she shook her head, her white hair swaying in her ponytail with the motion.

"Just as stubborn as always," murmured very softly, unable to resist the affectionate smile that appeared on her lips as she spoke.

Not wishing to disturb him from his rest, the woman made her way over to the bed and sat down comfortably. Her gaze returned to Animus, flicking them over his form carefully as she noted details. He still looked slightly battered from the bout with the Horde, but overall he was much better than he had been. She was pleased that he would recover quickly, no doubt back to full strength come morning.

Deciding it might be best if she too got some rest, Areai reached up and gently began prying off her armor, occasionally glancing in the rogue's direction to make sure that he stayed very much asleep as she undressed. It seemed he was more exhausted than she thought, and he did not stir a bit as she removed her mail armor as quietly as possible before laying it on the chest at the foot of the bed. Clad in her leathers, she lay herself down atop the blankets and got as comfortable as she could, waiting for sleep to arrive.

It seemed, however, that it would not come. She shifted about, rolling to her sides in an effort to find the spot that would allow her some shut eye; but a restlessness inside of her kept sleep at bay, irritating her as her mind raced with thoughts she did not wish to deal with at that moment. She lay an arm over her eyes and sighed deeply, finally allowing the dam to release what it had been holding back.

The soft sound of his breathing drew her attention, and she mulled over the noise; for a few weeks now, she had been alone with only her animal companions to keep her company after she had fled the group she and Animus both had once been members of. She bitterly regretted abandoning the friends she had made behind, but she knew that leaving was the right thing to do. The huntress never expected _him_ to have been the one she came across first in her travels, though she was far from displeased at their reunion; or at least, the start of it.

That reminder turned her mind back to the scuffle that had taken place in the tavern, and her thoughts darkened as bitter disappointment in herself welled from inside. The first friend she had found, and instead of protecting him as she should have, aiding him when he needed it, she had allowed him to become injured. She forced that train of thought away as hard as possible, knowing she would never forgive herself if she dwelt on it for too long.

Instead her traitorous brain pushed the reminder that tomorrow was her last day of reprieve, and that she had to come up with the gold required to pay her backlog of rent. It required her to stay more and more around the city, and as used to it as she should have been Areai could not help but long for the freedom she once had to roam as she pleased in the wilds of Azeroth. There was quite a lot of the world out there she had yet to see, so many creatures yet to discover; and yet here she was, trapped because of her inability to make coin.

All at once, Areai felt a strange emotion well up from within that threatened to drag her down; it took her a moment to realize that it was, in fact, loneliness. It mixed with her depressed thoughts and constricted her throat, nearly overwhelming her as she realized she had missed having her friends dearly; she suddenly dreaded the next day, knowing that after morning came Animus would be on his way.

She didn't want him to go.

Groaning in frustration, the woman rolled over and stood up with a heavy scowl. Clearly, she wasn't going to get any amount of sleep that night even if she tried. Her eyes cast about in an attempt to find something to do, anything to keep her mind and hands busy. They landed on her desk where the gems she had gathered and waited to be set lay for her to finish them.

Realizing that it would be the best use of her night, Areai quietly made her was over to the desk, taking the chair from beside the bed with her and sitting down to begin her work, letting her mind go blissfully quiet with the repetitive motions of her hands.

* * *

Consciousness was slow to come to him the next morning. Sleep was something he did not often have the luxury of, but when he had a safe place, Animus knew he could sleep like the dead. He woke slowly, his senses coming awake and testing the area for any signs of danger. Nothing triggered his interest other than a very quick, methodical set of tapping coming from close by. It was a delicate sound, one of someone deep in their work with an item; curious as to whom was making it, he opened his eyes and looked around while trying to blink away the blur of sleep.

Surprisingly, he saw Areai sitting in a chair with her hands working quickly as she fiddled with something in front of her. She had dressed down during the night, wearing soft leather instead of her mail armor. Her shoulders were hunched in concentration, but he could also see the way they slumped.

"Have you been awake all night?" he asked, breaking the quiet.

The draenei jumped violently at his words, letting out a very shocked "Meep!" as she jerked upright and released whatever tool she had held with a clatter. She whipped her head around to see a bleary eyed Animus looking at her, and placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart as she breathed.

"Light, you startled me," she said as her body relaxed.

"Apologies; I didn't mean to scare you," the human said calmly, shifting about in his spot to get more comfortable.

"It's fine. I'm not used to having company is all," she said, giving him a soft smile as she set aside her tools before turning to look at the window that was high up on her wall, above the place where her bed was pushed against.

Areai hadn't realized that the entire night had passed, she had been so engrossed in her gems and jewelcrafting; the morning sun shone in cheerily to illuminate the room instead of the mage-light, and she found her eyes following the beams down to see where they ended near where Animus sat. Her attention focused to him, and the draenei took in his appearance; his long black hair had come slightly loose from its ponytail, looking mussed up and rather cute when paired with his deep blue eyes that accentuated the handsome features he normally hid behind a mask. Flushing at her train of thought, she quickly averted her eyes back to the safety of her gems.

"I am glad you are awake," she said quickly, attempting to get herself back on track. "I have a few things I would like to discuss with you over breakfast."

To her disappointment, Animus shook his head before speaking.

"Please, I cannot keep taking advantage of your hospitality. You have done more than enough for me already."

"I've barely done anything. Please, I would love your company for just a bit longer," she persisted, feeling her hands ball up tightly.

' _Don't go, not yet…'_ she pleaded silently.

Lips thinned as he eyed her carefully, clearly not wanting to impose. Her back straightened and she bit her lip, gnawing on it as she tried to will him with her gaze and mind to change his mind.

"I really shouldn't," he said calmly, though Areai swore she heard the edge of relenting she hoped was real.

"Please, Animus?" the woman asked, feeling the breath still in her chest as she waited for his answer. She prayed that he would change his mind, stay and listen to what she had thought of during the night when her mind was clear.

After a pregnant pause, she saw him draw in a deep breath to release it as a sigh, shifting once more in place before looking back at her.

"I will stay on one condition. You have already provided food last night; allow me to pay for our meal this morning."

Elated that he would stay, Areai quickly nodded and leapt to her hooves as her eyes brightened in joy. She made to walk closer, but stopped when she was about a yard from his position against the wall as he dropped the blanket from around his person. He reached for the personal items he had close to him, armor included, but that was just a small fact in her mind as the draenei suddenly noticed with a dry mouth and darkened cheeks that the man was currently sitting there _shirtless_ before her.

"Will this be enough to cover for it?" Animus asked, pulling out a few gold coins from a pouch before turning to offer her the money on an upturned palm.

The motion made his well toned muscles shift, and Areai swore it was suddenly much too hot inside her small room. Mind whirling as she tried to process what he had said, the huntress jerked herself back to the present and nodded rapidly. Deciding it would be best before she embarrassed herself any farther, she darted forward and took the money as quickly as possible; she noticed that his hand was rather warm, but fought back any other thoughts along that line as she turned and scurried towards the door as fast as she could manage.

Once she had made it to the relative safety of the hallway, her steps slowed till she was at a slow walk. Feeling her face hot like a flame, the huntress took several deep breaths to regain her train of thought; she had most _certainly_ not expected to get an eyeful of a bare chested man that morning, especially not one she had harbored quite the interest in since first meeting him. On the other hand, she was not going to complain.

Scowling at herself for acting like an idiot, the woman shook her head to clear it as she walked down the hallway that led to the tavern. Her eyes lowered to her hand that had taken the money from Animus, drifting away only to snap back a moment later when she beheld the gold pieces that rest in her palm; what the man had given her was _much_ more than necessary for a simple breakfast! Five round coins gleamed in her hand, and for a moment she wondered if he had even considered what he was handing her.

"I could buy a quarter of the kitchen with this," she murmured to nobody, her head tilting as she paused in her step to consider what she should do.

Her mind turning over different options, Areai resumed her walk down the carpeted hallways till she reached the stairs that would take her down to the main hub of the Hero's Rest. From outside, she could hear the early calls of vendors shouting to the morning crowd; straining her ears, she could pick up certain words that pertained from general goods to foods to specialty sorts. An idea pricked inside her brain, and with a quick turn she headed towards the streets to pick up some foods that were not served by the inn; she knew a particular place that made delicious pastries that would be perfect for breakfast.

The morning sun was bright and cheery, warming the woman's back The crowd of adventurers was still relatively thin this early, and the draenei had little problem finding her way to the particular stand she had thought of. A quick glance over the selection and her order was made, with barely a minute passing before she was handed a bundle of freshly baked goods and the change. She hadn't even been able to spend half of the amount Animus had given her, and she carefully slipped it into her coin purse on her belt before making her way back to the Greyfang Enclave.

She paused before her door and took in a deep breath, hoping that the man inside had taken the chance to dress himself; otherwise she wasn't sure if her brain would work again. Turning the knob and stepping inside, her eyes cast about till she saw him sitting casually on her bed, back in his normal crimson and black leathers and looking much more like himself than he did previously. She let out a quiet sigh of relief before smiling at him while placing their meal on the table.

"You look better than you did last night; it is amazing what a good healer can do," she commented lightly.

"I suppose."

Animus glanced to the fare she had returned with, reaching over to grab a plump pastry that caught his eye. He pulled down the mask he had placed over his lower face, sniffing the baked good before taking a test taste; Areai watched him in amusement before plucking one of her own from the small pile and taking a seat in her chair. They both stayed quiet for a moment, eating comfortably before the rogue glanced in her direction.

"What was it you wished to talk about, Areai?"

The draenei paused, stopping herself from taking a large bite out of her breakfast. She instead let her hand down and cleared her throat, praying for the nerve to actually be able to speak her ideas.

"I had been thinking during the night, and I wanted to ask you if...if you would be able to train me, to take me with you on your travels?"

The man paused in his meal, giving the woman opposite to him a mildly curious expression.

"What brought this about?" he inquired, raising a brow.

"I...I have nothing here, no reason to stay," she said slowly, trying to place her thoughts to words. "I have not been on top of myself as I used to be; even you have said I lost my edge in battle."

Areai shifted in her seat, eyes cast down to her lap as she wrung her hands together tightly.

"Not only that, but...I have missed being with my friends, the companionship we shared with each other. We were close, despite our faults, and I sorely miss each and every one of them."

' _But I have missed you most of all,'_ she thought in the back of her mind. She kept that to herself, instead continuing on as her voice wavered from how nervous she was.

"So I thought perhaps we can travel together, and you can train me so that I can regain my skills to how they were, and maybe even better. That way...we do not have to be lonely."

Heat warmed her cheeks as she finished speaking, and she squeezed her eyes shut tightly as they could go as she halted her breathing. Silence surrounded them, and she dared not move or breathe in case it would make him deny her. Her heart pounded loudly, picking up as she finally heard the man across from her move.

Quiet footsteps approached her, and Areai nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a firm hand place itself on her shoulder. She tensed as her head started to spin from the lack of air, but kept her stony stillness as she prayed harder than she ever remembered. A moment later, the hand slipped from her shoulder, and a few moments later she heard the sound of the door opening before closing a moment after.

Shocked, Areai let her eyes fly open as she looked about the small space; there was no sign of the rogue anywhere. Feeling the sting of rejection beginning in her chest, she quickly stood upright to better peer about. A pastry was left half eaten on the plate before her, the same one he had just been eating. Hoping that what had just happened wasn't real, the draenei hurried to the door and opened it to look outside; to her grief, no one stood outside, not a soul to be found in the hall.

He really was gone.

The stinging sensation turned to a steady numbness, spreading from her chest to the rest of her limbs as she slowly closed the door. Her glowing eyes stared blankly at the wood grain, her throat tightening as she bent forward to press her forehead against the smooth surface as she had the night before. This time, she found herself sliding down to her knees as she could not hold herself up any longer; she felt hollow, empty as she realized she had been completely denied. Her hands trembled as they rested against the wood, and she barely could breath from the tightness inside.

Knowing that she shouldn't stay there, Areai forced herself to push off from the door, made herself stand as she turned and dragged her hooves in the direction of the soft bed. Her vision blurred before clearing, a wet feeling dragging itself down her cheek; reaching up and touching the skin, she realized that she was crying and that the wetness was her tears. That seemed to be the catalyst for the rest of them to begin falling, and she did nothing to stem it as she let herself collapse upon her bed.

Her hands automatically found the pillow and gripped it tightly, her face burying itself into the plump softness as she fought back sobs. Her limbs trembled quietly as she hugged the soft object to herself tightly, the numbness slowly being replaced with a deep sadness and an intense sense of exhaustion; the rejection she had just faced was the last thing her tired body could take, and she felt herself quickly succumbing to it. She allowed it to drag her down, the salty tang of her tears the last thing she knew before surrendering herself to a fitful sleep.

* * *

 **Reposted this chapter after noticing a few inconsistencies :P Hopefully now it shall flow better!**


	4. Chapter 3

A clamoring cut through the darkness of sleep, a flurry of knocks that echoed so loudly that the slumbering Areai could not help but be jolted awake with an alarmed gasp. Heart leaping into her throat the young woman sat up in her bed and zeroed in on the direction the source of the noise, her body tense as a bowstring as she tried to discern if it meant friend or foe. A moment later and the noise repeated, accompanied by a drunken voice slurring words from somewhere near her door but not actually in front of it. A sigh of relief escaped as she found herself able to breathe once more, the panic in her chest abating as her muscles slowly relaxed and a loud yawn escaped her.

 _Well that certainly woke me up,_ she thought with a slight scowl.

Despite the deep sleep she had, the young woman still didn't feel as if she had gotten enough rest; it would have been preferable to remain unconscious, as the memories of that morning still had her chest squeezing tightly in sorrow.

As she sat in her bed and considered her options, Areai noticed that the room appeared darker than it had been when she had first lay down. Eyes slid up to the window in her wall, only to widen as she recognized not the bright colors of day, but the darkening tones that signalled sunset.

"No! I slept too long!" she shouted as panic once again overtook her.

WIthout wasting another moment, she threw the blankets that tangled about her legs to the side and leapt from the bed. A hand darted out to reach for the bag she used to carry her creations and wares, the scratchy fabric rubbing against her skin as she stumbled over to the desk where her crafts lay. She didn't even bother to pick them up one by one; knowing that time was of the essence, Areai scooped everything on the wooden surface off the edge into her bag, uncaring of anything but getting out to the shops.

Once the bag was full of her wares the draenei turned and rushed out of the door and into the hallway, ignoring the few patrons who had to sidestep her as she ran full tilt towards the tavern. She took the stairs two at a time, barely glancing around her at the folk who stopped and stared at her rushing form. She thought she saw the elven woman innkeeper, but did not pause to confirm it before she was out the door and in the streets of Dalaran.

She paused then, looking about at the area before turning her gaze to the sky; the once blue expanse was now a painting of bright oranges, reds and deep purples as the clouds above caught the dying rays of the sun. Instead of admiring the beauty of it, the huntress was instead reminded that there was not much more time before the shops would close for the night, and she would lose her only chance to get the gold she needed for her rent. Heart pounding loudly, she began to thread and shove her way through the crowd of folk that walked the cobbled streets, heedless of anyone's protesting or curious gazes.

The marketplace section was mercifully not too far off from the Greyfang Enclave; however, with the growing night and the masses of adventurers coming back from a day on the Broken Isles it was increasingly difficult to fight against the flow of bodies. The lights of the streets were turning on as she ran, illuminating the evening with their cheery glow, but as she reached the entrance to the marketplace it seemed mostly devoid of the life that suffused the rest of the floating city. Areai was now rather uninhibited as she rushed to her destination, but she began to feel a gnawing sense of dread as she noticed that many of the shops were closed or closing for the night.

The woman only paused when she reached the hub for jewelcrafters, a building set close to the middle of the market with large polished gems imbedded within the stone steps leading up to it. Praying that she was not too late, she mounted the stairs and pushed gently on the door, relieved when it swung open easily to her touch.

Her happiness was cut short not a moment later, as she looked about and realized that the place was completely empty - gems and jewelry had been taken from their glass cases for the night, and all the people who normally manned the busy emporium were now noticeably missing. Heart sinking into her stomach, Areai turned about to see if there really wasn't anyone inside.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" she called out, her voice echoing in the silent space.

A loud 'thump' was heard from one of the counters, and the huntress peered in that direction as she noticed a small green figure appear rubbing the top of their head. A goblin female noticed her visitor, and smiled widely as she leaned on the smooth counter.

"Hey, good to see you! You- oh, well. Huh. You alright there, cookie? You don't look so hot," she said, her yellow eyes going up and down the draenei's taller form with an expression of surprise.

"Yes, I'm fine I just...overslept," Areai admitted sheepishly, gripping her bag of gems more tightly before walking to stand before the counter where the goblin was.

"Don't we all sometimes; what'cha need, cookie?"

"I need to sell these tonight," was the response, followed by the bag being placed on the counter and opened to show the many crafts within. "It's imperative I do so."

The little green woman peered into the sack with an appraising eye, but to Areai's shock she shook her head and shrugged.

"Shucks, I wish I could help you there. Unfortunately, the trader who deals with incoming goods got called away on personal business earlier today, said he'd be gone for about a week."

"What? But...I need the gold," the huntress said, an icy feeling sliding down her spine.

"Ya could always try auctioning them off; there's a lot of gold to be made that way, cookie," the goblin offered helpfully.

"I need it tonight to pay for something...is there nothing you can do?" she asked.

"'Fraid not. Ain't supposed to touch the merchandise going in or out, I am. Person in my post before got sticky fingers, if ya know what I mean," she said with another shrug.

Dismay swept over Areai's body, causing it to slump over as she felt any energy she had drain away as she realized that there really was nothing for her here. With a heavy sigh, she reached up and tied off her bag of gems and crafts before picking it up, offering the goblin a tired smile.

"Well, I thank you for your help regardless. I'll let you be now."

The goblin nodded, once again looking over the other woman with what might have been concern.

"No problem. I'll see you some other time, cookie."

Dipping her head in farewell, the draenei turned and walked out the way she came with heavy hooves. As she descended the stairs, she heard a faint 'click' and looked back to see the lights inside of the jewelcrafting emporium turn off for the night; they were finally closed.

Areai came to a stop at the base of the stone stairs, the cobble walkways quiet and dimly lit now that all the stores and various crafting guilds had stopped for the night. She noticed idly that she was the only soul currently about on the road, but farther down the way where the center of the city was it had turned the complete opposite - many people were there now, having arrived from their days and ready to relax and make merry. She could hear so many voices speaking, and over the din of that vendors of food carts calling out for hungry travellers to buy their delicious eats. Laughter and joymaking filled the night, but for once the young woman did not wish to join in.

Another sigh passed her lips, and she looked down only to notice that what the goblin had said was true; she looked like a complete mess. She could feel her hair in disarray, having come loose from her normally well-kept ponytail during her nap; her clothes were still the leathers she had on beneath her mail armor normally, and they were wrinkled and tugged oddly about her person in a rather uncomfortable fashion. To top it off, she could feel perspiration under her arms and on her chest from her frantic run through the streets, and her nose wrinkled at how uncomfortable she was finally sank in.

Muttering under her breath, Areai used the hand not holding on to her wares to tug at her leathers so they would sit right on her. This day was quickly devolving into one of her least favorite, and she had no desire to return to the Enclave just yet and face what she now knew would be inevitable. Instead she found herself yearning for something to help her mood and comfort, something to ease the blow she would have to face soon enough.

 _But what can I do?_ She wondered, her hand drifting down to her belt where her coin purse was securely tied. She had blessedly forgotten to remove it the night before, and it had remained with her now during her flight through the city.

Untying it and bringing it up enough for her to peer inside, she was surprised to see a fair amount of change within; for a moment she wondered where it had even come from, only to remember that Animus had given her some of his gold that morning to pay for their meal. She had not used all of it, and had apparently forgotten to give the rest back to him before he had left. Not that she would have a chance now, she thought darkly; the odds of her finding him again were very slim.

"He wouldn't mind, I think," she mumbled to herself, cinching the small pouch and considering her options. There wasn't enough in there to pay her rent, not even close, but perhaps...

Recalling that there was a bathhouse close by, Areai decided that she could use what she had to treat herself to a nice, warm soak before returning to the Enclave. If she were to face the coming storm, she might as well be clean and comfortable. Nodding to herself she turned on her hooves and headed towards the crowd that milled and moved about the road, slipping into the stream of bodies easily and moving towards the Alliance sanctioned area.

It took her only a few short minutes to reach her destination, and only a few more still to pay for a private bathing room that she could use for as long as she needed. Now she was standing in the area provided to customers to store their belongings, removing her leathers to place them in the small locker she had been assigned to. It was a relief to divest herself of the clothes, but it was short lived when she realized that her bag of goods would not fit inside the locker securely.

Scowling in frustration, the huntress tried to force the sack into the small space. Her hands poked and pried the edges carefully to persuade it to fit more, just a little bit more, but to no avail. She dared not shove it too forcefully, lest she damage the goods she had taken days to work on; one last attempt to push it in proved fruitless, and with a deep groan she relented and instead looked about for a relatively safe hiding place she could store them.

Noticing that near to the room she had payed for was a nice vase full of large blooming flowers in a corner, she decided that it would do and slipped the bag behind it while making sure that it would not easily be seen. She stepped back and walked around the front of it, eyeing it with care before nodding confidently. Areai then turned and opened the nearby door and stepped into the steamy room to see that everything was ready for her; a pile of soft, fluffy towels were placed on a chair, a small mechanism used for spraying yourself before soaking hooked onto the wall, and finally a wonderfully spacious tub with hot water waiting on the far side of the room. Already feeling her body begin relax, she removed her small clothes and placed them beside the towels and reached for the showering mechanism, intent on getting herself fully clean.

Once that was accomplished, she approached the tub and gingerly sank her body into the wonderful water; the heat soothed her muscles as she leaned back against the edge of the tub, her long white hair out of its bindings and floating on the surface when it reached the liquid. The sound of rippling water and distant noises of the city provided an atmosphere of peace, and the draenei found herself once again turning her mind towards reality and what would happen when she returned to the inn for the night.

A frown pulled her lips in a downward motion; once she was evicted from the inn, there were very few options she had in the way of finding a place to stay. She did not have enough to afford a one night stay in the other inns located in Dalaran, nor did she have any camping supplies to try her luck out in the wilderness. Not only that, but her several month stay in the city had her leaving her beasts mostly with the stable master instead of by her side, as they were not allowed inside of most buildings. They had grown used to the easy life, especially her mortal companions; normally she had at least one spirit beast to accompany her, and they did not require exercise as those of flesh and blood did, but since it had been so long since she had summoned one it was possible her bond with them had weakened. On the other hand, her lack of excursions to the actual Isles had allowed her non-spirit companions to fatten themselves and grow complacent.

That train of thought also brought forward the remainder that she owed the stable master of Dalaran a fee of his own for caring for her companions for so long; it made her cringe to recall that fact, her nose wrinkling as she looked down at the water's surface to scowl at her own reflection. Things had most certainly deteriorated since she had decided to strike out on her own.

 _Maybe I should drown to spare myself the humiliation,_ she thought to herself, following it with a dry chuckle and a shake of her head. Like she would ever seriously consider such a thing.

A deep sigh passed her lips, and the draenei allowed herself to slip down farther into the water till the surface brushed her chin. Her eyes closed and she forced any more thoughts from her mind; instead she focused her muscles to relax and unwind. She thought of how pleasant the current moment was, her body enveloped in warm water.

It was only when the water began to chill did she stir. Shivering as she raised herself up, Areai reached for one of the fluffy towels laying close by and quickly wrapped her body with it. It was easy to step back out into her private room and dry her body off, her skin feeling fresh and clean as she rubbed her hair while being careful not to snag the fabric on her long, back-sweeping horns. A pleased noise escaped from her throat, and she re-wrapped and tucked the towel around her body before stepping out into the locker room.

Opening her locker and grabbing her leathers, she briefly felt irritated with herself; she had completely forgotten the state of her clothes, and unfortunately did not have a clean set that she could dress herself with. A grumble was heard in the empty area as she slipped them on, her clean body feeling tainted with the clingy, slightly sweaty material. Knowing she had no choice and certainly not wishing to parade around the streets of Dalaran skyclad, Areai turned to the door and headed towards it before she recalled her sack of goods.

 _Of all the things, you nearly forgot your way of earning coin,_ she thought to herself crossly, turning on her hooves and walking to the vase she had hidden her items behind.

Only...there was nothing there.

Blinking, Areai's mouth dropped open as she froze and stared at the spot she had last seen her bag. Surely her eyes were lying to her...reaching forward, she felt around for the scratchy fabric that she knew had been placed there. Her hand met nothing, and a surge of panic threatened to overcome her; her bag of wares, the one thing that could help her gain the funds she would need...gone.

"No no no! This can _not_ be happening!"

Praying she was wrong, Areai pushed the vase to the side and frantically began to search the nearby area. On her hands and knees she inspected every corner, every nook and cranny that could possibly have her bag hidden within. But even as she expanded her search to the rest of the room it became quite apparent that there was no doubt her wares were gone.

Hands reaching up to tug at her drying hair still hanging free, the young woman felt herself ready to implode with the new level of stress that she had discovered. There had to be some way she could fix this, find who had taken her gems and wares; pausing only to eye over the room one last time, Areai rushed for the front of the bathhouse and prayed that the clerk had seen something.

As she approached the desk where the willowy night elf woman stood, she was spotted by her. A polite smile was aimed in her direction, but the silvery eyes that darted over her person were anything but open.

"Good evening, ma'am. Was your bath to your liking?" the elf inquired, her tone nothing less than civil.

"Have you seen anyone with what looks like the bag I had brought in with me?" Areai asked in a rush, a part of herself cringing with how rude she sounded; her panic, however, quickly smothered that.

The elf frowned slightly, her long brows knitting together as she cocked her head to the side.

"No, I have not seen anyone with such an item. Have you lost it?" she inquired.

"Yes! It could not fit into the locker, and it was gone when I came from the bath," the draenei said, her hands clenching and unclenching as her frustration grew.

"I need it back, it had all of my wares inside!"

The elf held up her hands, trying to calm the short, panicking woman before her.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, there isn't much I can do. We can help you look and see if it is merely misplaced."

"But I already looked! I would not be up here if I had not," Areai said with a growl, shaking her head back and forth rapidly.

Now the clerk frowned, her voice becoming firmer.

"Please calm down, there is no reason to become-"

"There is every reason!" the huntress snapped, her patience with everything that had happened coming to an end. Tears of frustration quickly formed and spilled from her eyes, her body shaking as she tried to control her rapidly increasing breathing.

"You do not understand, I _cannot_ leave here without it! I need it back!"

"Ma'am, we will do everything we can, but if you cannot think rationally about the situation-"

"I can't think rationally! That had my wares, my only way of making coin inside of it! You have to find it!"

By this time, other patrons had stopped what they were doing and watching the scene with curious gazes. The attention was lost on the distraught young woman, but certainly not on the elf before her; she drew herself up to her much taller height and fixed Areai with a stern frown, her tone still polite but with a noticeable clip.

"In that case ma'am, I must ask you to leave. If we find your wares, we will contact you, but you must leave the building."

Anger curdled in her stomach at the words, and Areai felt her hands clench into fists.

"I cannot leave without my wares," she hissed. "They are my only way of staying off the streets to sleep!"

"That is not my problem, miss. I cannot continue to allow you to cause a scene in our establishment, and must insist that you leave the premises. If we happen to find your property, we will find a way to contact you."

Areai opened her mouth to refuse once again, but noticed that the elf's eyes slid past her person to meet with something behind her. Turning her head slightly, she saw a large human male standing close by and watching her. The way his stance was guarded and his eyes sharp for any trouble made it clear he was their form of security, and it rankled her to know that they would throw her out rather than help her.

Not wishing to have that kind of spectacle added to her day's humiliation, the huntress instead growled and turned on her hooves towards the door, stomping as hard as she can and speaking loudly over her shoulder.

"Fine; your water was lukewarm anyway!"

Areai stormed out of the building with a ferocious scowl on her face, pausing a few feet from the entrance in order to take a deep breath and steady herself. Her heart rate slowed down as her anger simmered out, and she noticed that it was not only people inside who had heard the ruckus she had made; people here on the streets were staring at her as well as whispering to one another, a few openly smirking in her direction. A hot flash of shame turned her cheeks a deep blue, and she ducked her head as her arms came up around herself; her breath came out in a defeated sigh before returning as a sniffle, a feeling of utter defeat coming over her as she realized that it was most definitely time to return to the Greyfang Enclave and deal with what would most likely be the worst part of a very bad day.

Her body felt overly heavy as she walked with the night crowd back in the direction of the Alliance sanctioned area, and it was all the young woman could do to keep herself from breaking down into a crying fit like a child. This had definitely made its way to the top of a very short lists of bad days she had experienced before, and she cringed as she tried to think of where exactly she was going to go after all was said in done. There were few places she could think of, but the cemetery would possibly be the most appealing; much better than the sewers, that was for sure.

She was still partially lost in thought as she stepped into the tavern area of A Hero's Rest, and therefore could not stop herself before she ran into another body. Squeaking in alarm, Areai backed up and blinked at the person whom she had collided with; a pair of blue-violet eyes blinked at her, and with another wave of dismay she recognized the innkeeper she had been trying to avoid all evening.

The high elven woman looked surprised to see the other woman, her head cocking to one side as she glanced over her person.

"Areai? Oh my...you look like you've had a terrible time," she said with a concerned from, her brows knitting together as she spoke. "Are you quite alright, dear?"

Sniffling once more as she tried to not cry, Areai shook her head and hugged herself more tightly. She knew that while she didn't look as bad as she had before taking her bath, the stress of the day was most likely showing and making her look just as bad as she had before.

"No, I'm not...I've had a horrible day," she admitted in a trembling tone. "I woke up too late, so when I went to sell my wares the shop was closed and the one who handles the goods was gone...and then I lost my wares in a bathhouse and couldn't find them..."

The expression of concern deepened on the other woman's face, and she lifted her head to look away from the poor draenei's person to peer around the tavern searchingly. Not noticing it, Areai reached up and rubbed at one of her eyes, trying her best to keep it together as she forced herself to keep talking.

" I don't have the coin to pay you what I owe. I know you said that today was the last day, so I won't make a fuss. I'll make sure to get my belongings out as soon as I am able to, Miss Isirami."

Isirami's gaze briefly turned back to meet with Areai's, looking confused before she returned to looking around, clearly trying to find someone in the nighttime crowd.

"Dear, there is no need for all that. Your friend took care of that earlier for you."

Areai blinked twice, her mouth dropping open slightly as she stared at the high elf in complete confusion.

"...What?"

"Your friend with the blue eyes; he was just down here a few minutes ago, and he paid your rent in full. Hmm, though it seems he isn't in sight anymore," Isirami said as she turned her gaze back to the huntress. "Perhaps he went to your room to wait for you?"

Standing there amidst the revelry of the filled tavern, Areai felt her confusion grow as she tried to absorb what the innkeep had just told her. She was also shocked, not having expected to have her debt paid after going through so much trouble in one evening. Her mind began to sift through whom she might know that had blue eyes, going so fast that she could barely keep up. She really couldn't come up with anyone who would suddenly be nice enough to-

 _Wait..._

Realization hit her like a bolt of lightening, her mood turning around as any trace of sadness vaporizing as joy practically overtook her. Of course, how could she not realize it? There was only one person she had been in contact with recently who would have even thought to show such kindness to her: Animus. A big, foolish grin appeared on her face as she straightened herself.

"You said he might be in my room, yes?" she queried, heart beating rapidly in her chest.

The elven woman nodded, a smile of her own appearing.

"I do believe so, he seemed uncomfortable with the crowds coming in."

Hope truly blooming inside of her for the first time that evening, Areai looked towards the nearby stairs that led up towards the inn section of the Enclave before remembering her manners; she hastily bowed to Isirami.

"Thank you, thank you so much! I'll be back later," she promised.

The blonde woman chuckled and shook her head, looking upon her tenant with kind eyes.

"Then I expect you to come to the kitchens for a meal later on. Make sure to get that young man plenty as well," she said with a smirk.

Giggling and nodding, the young huntress turned and began to slip her way through the other patrons of the busy tavern, reaching the stairs in record time and nearly flying up them as she took two at a time. She miraculously made it without slipping and ran full tilt the moment she reached the top, her heart in her throat and a prayer in her mind that Animus was really there waiting for her. If he was, she wasn't entirely sure if she could stop herself from tackling him in a hug.

 _Well, hopefully he won't stab me,_ she thought without a care as her door came into sight.

* * *

 **I apologize for the delay in this being uploaded; work has been rather...interesting the past weeks, plus it seemed that when I would go to upload this chapter, Fanfiction wasn't having any of it. Next chapter will hopefully be incoming relatively soon.**


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